Document WO-2010/049,609 notably describes the Rock-Eval method and process for sulfur analysis. The Rock-Eval is a device comprising at least one oven for pyrolysis in an inert atmosphere and at least one oxidation oven. A sulfur measurement module is in particular added to this device for sulfur analysis.
The prior art relative to refining for estimating the sulfur and carbon content of distillation residues can notably be:                a. The total sulfur in crude oils and in crude oil distillation fractions is conventionally measured using the ASTM D4294 (XR Fluorescence) and ASTM D5453 (UV Fluorescence) methods.        b. The carbon in crude oils and in crude oil distillation fractions is measured using the ASTM D5291 method.        c. The coke potential of the residues is measured using the ASTM D189 (Conradson Carbon Residue CCR) and ASTM D4530 (Micro Carbon Residue MCR) methods.        
Coke as such is not present in crude oil before it is processed by thermal cracking and it is therefore not measured in the crude. However, the potential coke to be generated varies from one crude to the next and it can be measured according to conventional methods that are relatively long and complex. The present invention allows these drawbacks to be overcome.